Beschreibung:

A pair of two-tone gilt-and silvered-bronze hardstone centrepieces created under the direction of Aimé Chenevard (1794-1838) and executed by Jean-Jacques Feuchère (1807-1852), Jean-August Barre (1811-1896), and Pierre-Jules Cavelier(1814-1894); and others, monture, casting and ciselure by Guillaume Denière Louis Philippe, circa 1839 each coupe in the form of a tazza supported by an ionic capital on a waisted stem inlaid with panels of green foil backed chalcedony and mounted with masks, cabouchon and faceted semi-precious 'jewels' including cornelion garnet and amethyst, the tri-form base of each raised on a circular 'damascened' worked plinth applied with the d'Orléans cypher below the Royal French crown; one coupe surmounted with an owl above a display of dead game in the form of an arrangement of birds, the lower tier with further birds, three of which are portrayed alive, the triform base applied with pendants of fruit between three free standing figures of Native Americans, the circular plinth punctuated by grape and vine leaf motifs; the other coupe surmounted by a pelican above a display of fish and crustaceans finished in three colours of gilding, the lower tier with further fish and three feeding birds portrayed alive, the triform base applied with pendants of shells between three free standing figures of Inuits, the circular plinth punctuated by shell motifs one 94cm. high, 3ft. 1in.,the other 91cm. high, 2ft. 11¾in.